A Conversation for Photo Competition Winner: The Robin
That's a Robin?
Jimi X Started conversation Jul 7, 2004
Blimey, no wonder you kept the USA out of the competition!
Our robin doesn't look anything like that one! Ours is much bigger and brasher (of course!).
Perhaps we truly are one people divided by a common language!
For a photo of an American robin, check this link:
http://www.greensboro.com/birdclub/ROBIN.JPG
That's a Robin?
Peta Posted Jul 7, 2004
*That's* a robin!!
Wow, I didn't realise there were different types...
Ours are all small and cute, and very friendly - when I had an allotment the Robin's used to come and sit within two feet of me, patiently waiting for me do dig up a worm, then they'd hop right down by my feet to grab it. Very sweet things. 
That's a Robin?
Peta Posted Jul 7, 2004
Here's a link back at you...
http://www.bbc.co.uk/nature/reallywild/amazing/robin.shtml
I wonder if they're even in the same family?
That's a Robin?
Metal Chicken Posted Jul 8, 2004
The UK and US robins aren't related. The American robin is a blackbird sized member of the thrush family. The US ones are almost as cheeky as the UK version though. I guess they were named as robins by settlers in memory of the familiar red-breasted cheeky bird from home.
There was a news story earlier this year of a rare sighting of an American robin in England (in Grimsby). Just as the bird-watchers were turning up to stare, it got eaten by a sparrowhawk. Shame. But probably exhausted after too long a journey and easy prey.
That's a Robin?
Peta Posted Jul 8, 2004
Aww, isn't that a shame! Poor thing!
I guess our Robins are just to small to make it across the Atlantic, through presumably they're in Europe too? I'm sure I've seen a few in the Alps, although I might be wrong. Nice birds though!
That's a Robin?
Mina Posted Jul 9, 2004
Robins aren't as cute as they look, they are very territorial, and will beat up any other robins that hang around. That's why you normally only see one at a time.
That's a Robin?
Metal Chicken Posted Jul 9, 2004
Did anybody see the bit on the recent BBC Wildlife nights when they held a fake robin on a stick near a genuine one - who proceeded to viciously attack it and eventually tore it to pieces! Very territorial creatures indeed.
Still cute when they hop about waiting for grubs to be turned up when you're gardening though 
That's a Robin?
Jimi X Posted Jul 15, 2004
Our Robins fly south for the winter and are usually one of the first birds to return in the spring. So for us Robins are associated with spring...
Our X-mas cards are usually decorated with Cardinals rather than Robins.
Cardinal link at http://www.harunyahya.com/kids/pictures/wallpaper1024/cardinal.jpg
Weird eh?
That's a Robin?
Baron Grim Posted Jul 15, 2004
Never think a bird is too small to fly great distances. Twice a year along the Gulf coast of Texas we see hummingbirds. In the late summer/early fall they are stop in the area to eat like winged pigs to store up for their flight across the Gulf of Mexico. In the spring they come back hungry and exhausted.
http://www.nwf.org/migratorybirds/birdprofile.cfm?bird=Ruby-throated+Hummingbird
That's a Robin?
Jimi X Posted Jul 16, 2004
They're rather striking against the snow. And make a nice complement to the Blue Jays at the feeder with all the brown sparrows...
Key: Complain about this post
That's a Robin?
More Conversations for Photo Competition Winner: The Robin
Write an Entry
"The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy is a wholly remarkable book. It has been compiled and recompiled many times and under many different editorships. It contains contributions from countless numbers of travellers and researchers."